Feinstein on possible new hate crime law
Attorney
General Eric Holder last week urged Congress to pass a new hate crimes
law so the government could prosecute cases of violence based on sexual
orientation, gender or disability.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Holder cited the recent killing of a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. The alleged assailant is a white supremacist.
"One has to look at the unfortunate history of our nation. There are groups that have been singled out, that have been targets of violence," the attorney general said. "We have to face and confront that reality."
About half of all hate crimes are motivated by racial bias, according to The Associated Press.
The other two most frequent hate crimes are those motivated by religion or sexual orientation.
Holder said the statistics show hate crimes against Hispanics have increased four years in a row.
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said some of the debate in her state over immigration "has been part of hate and people have been beaten up because they happen to be Hispanic, they happen to be on a street corner where somebody doesn't want them."
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Holder cited the recent killing of a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. The alleged assailant is a white supremacist.
"One has to look at the unfortunate history of our nation. There are groups that have been singled out, that have been targets of violence," the attorney general said. "We have to face and confront that reality."
About half of all hate crimes are motivated by racial bias, according to The Associated Press.
The other two most frequent hate crimes are those motivated by religion or sexual orientation.
Holder said the statistics show hate crimes against Hispanics have increased four years in a row.
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said some of the debate in her state over immigration "has been part of hate and people have been beaten up because they happen to be Hispanic, they happen to be on a street corner where somebody doesn't want them."
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